How many locos?

[GreenDiesel]

Just wondering how many locos folks here have?

I now have 16 British N scale locos and I can only run 7-8 max on my layout at a time. So I'll run my layout in "LMS mode," "GWR mode," or "early BR," depending on my mood.

I've been into model railways for 22 years (starting with 00) but into N for only 11. I sold many of my 00 locos to fund my N scale layout.

I feel like I'm at the saturation point now but am always tempted to buy more at shows. I suspect many people can relate, yet I do hear of guys who have just 4 or 5 locos and seem quite content.

EDIT: Thanks for these comments! Another question (which I realize some have answered): Do you use most of them?

[Bealman]

There have been many threads on this over the years. If you use the search function you will find them.

[PLD]

The standard answer would appear to be "I want one more than I currently have"

For an Exhibition layout, I would say the sensible ideal is "two for each job" to cover for failures/servicing/cleaning and keep the show going...

[Will_J]

Around a dozen in working order, a few more in various states of build or repair. Very eclectic mix as much of it is show bargains I liked the look of.

But in terms of collecting towards a layout I try to find things to suit the West Highland Line of any period, or early BR south Wales steam.

[Newportnobby]

[Bigmac]

i stopped counting after 100.
I started in N gauge in the late 60s---but had a long hiatus in the 90s /early 00ies.

I collect early BR steam that i saw or could have seen as a young spotter; but a few anomalies are creeping in.

[class8mikado]

i Have 20 plus a DMU.
5 are rule one, the rest are plausibly British rail Eastern region Era4 - they are probably more of a 'one of each' collection rather than a prototypical MPD roster but then i do not have a layout yet - there are another 3-4 i have yet to obtain/ waiting to be released

[Bob G]

I claim the fifth amendment... Oh and did you know N gauge storage takes up 1/8th the volume of OO? So you can have 8 times as many trains in N as you can in OO for the same storage space.

 

[ntpntpntp]

The question's been asked several times before on here.

If you think you're saturated then stop.  If you like to keep buying more then keep buying   Some folk restrict themselves to a fleet appropriate to the theme of their layout and dispose/exchange locos and stock when they change layouts. Others enjoy collecting.   Whatever you want, it's your hobby and your layout to enjoy how you like to


I've been running European N seriously since the early 80s. I had some British N before that but sold it off - that's the only time I've ever let models go (and since then I've bought some of them again just for nostalgia)!   I reckon now roughly 400 powered items (locos, multiple units). I usually take somewhere around 50 locos plus some units to a show when I'm exhibiting the full layout, which gives me spares should something fail (actually very rare).  Therefore I have complete alternate sets of locos to spread the usage and ring the changes at different shows, but naturally there are some favourites which probably come to most shows.

With the recent very sad passing of a good friend and fellow exhibitor, I've been gifted his similar sized collection! Probably less than 10% are exact duplicates of locos I already own.

It's frightening when you tot up an estimated value.

[Newportnobby]

With a layout based loosely on Oxford where motive power from 4 different regions spread over 1950-1965 plus a few 'iconic' ones, you can guess I have far too many.
However, I'm just a babe in arms compared to some e.g. @Bob G

[Bob G]

However, I'm just a babe in arms compared to some e.g. @Bob G

I don't know what you are on about. I've sold >95% of my pre-2005 stock! And all my Tri-ang 1960s trainset stock! And all my 1960s Matchbox cars! And my Floral Garden set. And my Meccano.

Bob

[SD35]

One...





...that she's aware of.

[martyn]

Quite a few more than when this question was asked last time on the Forum........

But I have sold a lot of stock, with a lot more to go at some stage.

Martyn

[AndyRA]

I have steadily acquired probably more Locos than the layout can accommodate, but they all get a run on a rotation basis, being changed over after every two or three circuits. Many got well used when I was involved with an Exhibition layout. I have a spreadsheet and after a loco has been selected they get a box ticked so wear and tare is evened out, and any routine maintenance carried out. As a result I haven't had to change any motor brushes for as long as I can remember.

[GreenDiesel]

I claim the fifth amendment... Oh and did you know N gauge storage takes up 1/8th the volume of OO? So you can have 8 times as many trains in N as you can in OO for the same storage space.

 

Exactly. A small shelf will hold what I have now but would take several shelves to hold the equivalent in 00.